Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Gallup poll: Obama less popular than Bush after first 100 days

Why is Barack Obama So Unpopular?

The Mainstream Media Won't Report It This Way

As Barack Obama reaches the 100 day mark of his term as President, it's time to pose a question: why is he so unpopular?

According to Gallup's April survey, Americans have a lower approval of Mr. Obama at this point than all but one president since Gallup began tracking this in 1969. The only new president less popular was Bill Clinton, who got off to a notoriously bad start after trying to force homosexuals on the military and a federal raid in Waco, Texas, that killed 86. Mr. Obama's current approval rating of 56 percent is only one tick higher than the 55-percent approval Mr. Clinton had during those crises…

It's no surprise the liberal media aren't anxious to point out that their darling is less popular than George W. Bush. But given the Gallup numbers, their hurrahs could be more subdued. USA Today's front page touted the April poll results as positive, with the headline: "Public thinks highly of Obama." The current cover of Newsweek magazine ponders "The Secret of His [Mr. Obama's] Success." The comparison with previous presidents is useful because they are usually popular during their first few months in office - and most presidents have been more popular than Mr. Obama.

The Left in this country does not recognize that the Tea Party movement, the surprising strength of fundraising for GOP campaign committees and the Republican polling advantages in off-year races, all reflect dissatisfaction with Barack Obama's agenda. The President himself continues to be more popular than his policies, but even that is changing - and it cannot last until the midterm elections. Of course, the longer Democrats choose not to recognize this, the more likely they are to pay the price politically.